Workshop B — What Do We All Share? The Many Expressions of Social Enterprise:

Dr. Karen Benzies

Workshop B — What Do We All Share? The Many Expressions of Social Enterprise: ‍

What does “social enterprise” actually mean, and where does your work fit? Hear from three Alberta practitioners representing a nonprofit, a purpose-driven business, and research, as they share how social enterprise shows up in their work and the challenges they face. Then, join an interactive exercise to explore the different ways people in the room understand and practice social enterprise. You’ll leave with clearer language for your own work, new connections, and a better sense of the diverse social enterprise community around you.

Schedule 2025

8:11 am

Sunrise

9:00 am

Early Access Experience at Milk Jar Candle Co: Behind the Scenes Tour & Networking Lunch (limited spots available, advanced registration required)

Join us at Milk Jar Candle Co. for a behind-the-scenes experience with founder Holly Singer—who you’ll hear from later that evening as one of our True Confessions speakers. We’ll start the experience with an Indigenous Circle, hosted by Natalie in the Milk Jar workshop space. Next, you'll experience Holly’s thriving social venture in action, meet the people who bring Milk Jar to life, hear more of the story behind the business, and get hands-on by making your own Milk Jar diffuser. Then, keep the conversations going over a casual networking lunch by Italiano Please!—a local catering company creating meaningful employment opportunities for people with disabilities. It's a great chance to break bread and make some early connections. Please RSVP when purchasing your SVI ticket to reserve your spot as this is a pre-gathering and space is limited. Lunch is optional and not included in registration. Attendees can purchase their food on site.

Holly Singer

1:00 pm

Event Begins at Ralph Klein Park: Arrival and Registration

Arrive to Ralph Klein Park & Environmental Education Centre and register. Click for Google Map link.

1:30 pm

Welcome and Intro

2:30 pm

Marketplace of Ideas

Got an idea, project, or opportunity you’d like to share? You'll have the option to step up and give a 60-second pitch to the group. It’s a supportive, low-pressure environment to let others know what you’re working on.

3:45 pm

Nourish & Connect

Take a moment to recharge with snacks and refreshments while connecting with fellow attendees.

4:00 pm

Workshop A— Don’t Waste a Perfectly Good Disaster (Kevin Kent, Knifewear)

Emergencies suck—but they can also create opportunities to rethink, rebuild and come back stronger. Drawing from real life experience, Kevin will explore how entrepreneurs can navigate disruption, make smart decisions under pressure, and turn unexpected challenges into opportunities for growth.

Kevin Kent

4:00 pm

Workshop B — What Do We All Share? The Many Expressions of Social Enterprise:

Ian Russell

Zach Manntai

Bill Zheng

Heather Jansen

Dr. Karen Benzies

4:00 pm

Workshop C— Social Procurement: Opening Doors to New Business Opportunities

Learn how to navigate public sector procurement opportunities and position your business to win government contracts. More details coming soon.

6:00 pm

Dinner

Enjoy a shared meal with fellow attendees and speakers. Opportunities for one on one time with business experts.

6:28 pm

Sunset

7:30 pm

True Confessions: Holly Singer, Milk Jar Candle Co.

True Confessions aren’t polished success stories—they’re honest conversations about the challenges, failures, and hard-earned lessons behind the journey. Join Holly Singer, Founder & CEO of Milk Jar Candle Co., as she shares the realities of building a multi-million-dollar brand carried in over 600 retail locations worldwide, while staying true to her values along the way.

Holly Singer

8:45 pm

Closing Reflections

We’ll close out the evening by 9 PM.

7:15 am

Coffee, Tea & Continental Breakfast Station Opens

Continental breakfast station open until 9am.

7:30 am

Pre-Gathering at Sunrise—Smudge and Opening Circle

We welcome all early risers who would like to join us. Ceremony begins 7:30 AM, ends at 8:45 AM. Sunrise begins at 8:13 AM :)

9:00 am

Case Study: EthniCity Catering

EthniCity Catering, a Calgary-based social enterprise that creates employment opportunities for newcomers through its catering business, will share a real challenge they’re facing. A panel of experienced leaders and the audience will work together to explore possible paths forward, contributing ideas, questions, and perspectives to help uncover new possibilities.

Celestina Akinkunmi

Kurt White

Käthe Lemon

10:30 am

Connection & Reflection Time

Book a one-on-one conversation with an expert, connect with another attendee, or step outside and enjoy some time in nature.

11:00 am

Peer Circles & Lunch

In groups of five, each participant will have the opportunity to bring a current business challenge, receive feedback, and learn from the experiences and perspectives of others.

1:00 pm

Nature Walk brought to you by Hop Studios

A chance to slow down and spend time on the land. This time can also be used for optional one-on-one conversations with business experts.

1:30 pm

True Confessions: Käthe Lemon, Red Point Media

True Confessions aren’t polished success stories—they’re honest conversations about the challenges, setbacks, and failures along the way. Join Käthe Lemon, President & Co-Owner of RedPoint Media Group, as she shares the realities of building one of Western Canada’s leading independent media companies.

Käthe Lemon

3:00 pm

Closing Circle

Some of the most meaningful conversations happen at the very end. Join us as we gather one final time to reflect, connect, and bring the SVI experience to a close.

4:00 pm

Post-Event Unwind

Keep the conversation going at our casual post-event meetup at Establishment Brewing! They are a certified Living Wage Employer and maker of exceptional craft beer. They'll be launching two new brews this day and will have a food truck on site for those looking to grab a bite. This social gathering is open to everyone, so feel free to invite friends and coworkers who weren't able to attend SVI: Alberta. Please note that this is an optional event, and food and beverages are not included with your SVI:Alberta ticket purchase.